Grasim Taps ITC Veteran Sachin Sahay to Lead Birla Opus after Sudden CEO Exit

Grasim Industries on January 16 announced the appointment of Sachin Sahay as the new chief executive officer of its paints business, Birla Opus, effective February 16. This marks a key leadership change at a time of intense competition in India’s paints market.

Sahay joins Birla Opus from diversified conglomerate ITC, where he most recently served as executive vice president of sales. Notably, Sahay has worked in the conglomerate for over two decades.

The appointment comes more than two months after the sudden exit of Rakshit Hargave, the former CEO of Birla Opus. His departure had caught analysts by surprise and raised concerns about Grasim’s long-term strategy in the highly competitive paints sector, Reuters reported.

Birla Opus, which was launched in February 2024, has rapidly expanded its presence across the paints sector. Grasim has reportedly invested heavily in setting up paint manufacturing plants and has offered aggressive discounts to dealers and customers. This strategy has helped Birla gain market share largely at the expense of established leader Asian Paints, the report added.

Grasim’s paints business has also been at the center of a high-profile competition dispute. In early 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered an investigation into Asian Paints following a complaint filed by Birla.

In its initial assessment in July, the CCI had said there was enough evidence to suggest that Asian Paints may have violated competition laws. The watchdog directed its investigation arm to examine the matter and submit a report within 90 days.

According to Birla’s complaint, Asian Paints allegedly misused its dominant market position by offering large discounts and incentives, including foreign trips, to dealers in return for exclusive arrangements. Birla also claimed that Asian Paints raised sales targets for dealers who stocked Birla products and pressured landlords and transporters not to work with Birla Opus.

The CCI had said Asian Paints appeared to have imposed “unfair conditions” on dealers, calling the conduct potentially exploitative. The regulator also noted that such practices could create barriers for new entrants and reduce competition in the market.

After this, Asian Paints had responded that it would review the CCI’s order and pursue appropriate legal remedies, adding that it remained committed to cooperating with the investigation, according to regulatory filings from that time.

Subsequently, Asian Paints challenged the CCI’s order in the Bombay High Court, citing reputational harm and alleging procedural lapses. However, in September 2025, the court dismissed the company’s plea to stop the investigation. A month later, the Supreme Court declined to hear Asian Paints’ appeal, allowing the CCI probe to continue without interruption.